The white stuff is PAN, its the most common type of polymer that is used as the precursor to make CF. It goes through many (mostly heat based) processes before it becomes a CF, then a sizing is added to help bonding and protect the CF etc.
Making anything in the States is expensive! That’s why they are made elsewhere
In the original video I winced everytime I saw a worker touch anything. Fine, its only a semi-structural part but they don’t know that!
I also was cringing in the SGL video’s with the guys touching the fiber, maybe because it still needs to go threw the hightemp ovens it will burn any oils or foreign chemicals off leaving a virgin fiber.
Yeah I understand that about PAN, maybe you misunderstood my post. It seemed to me since SGL is a European company they would produce the carbon in Europe, but since quality is so high in America it looks like they jumped to this side of the pond. If cost was an issue why not just go to Asia?
See this thread if you are interested in methods of Carbon fiber manufacturing. http://www.compositescentral.com/showthread.php?t=6566
Sorry yeah, I misunderstood. I guees they produce some fibre there to reduce transportation costs. PAN is already produced in the US, so they can convert it thereto CF, then into fabrics and sell it in the US.
Great vids btw.
Zoltek, Hexcel, Toho Tenax, and Toray all produce carbon in the US. Its not that its expensive to produce carbon in the U.S., its very expensive and takes several years to start up a new carbon fiber producing plant.
Thanks, I share everything I can find. No sense in hoarding it when I think they can help other members. It’s my goal here to learn as much as I can about composites and hopefully give back just as much if not more. At the end of the day if we all know more then I think we are all better off. Isn’t education the key to a prosperous future?
I thought in one of the videos a “tour guide”
said they get the PAN from Japan? So would the line go Japan for Pan, US for oxidation and weaving, then Europe for production like we see in the roof video? 
It’s been awhile since I watched them.
Hojo - You seem to have been around the block (prolly the world) a few times in the world of composites. Have you ever toured a carbon production line and would any oils that get transfered to the material before it goes into the hightemp ovens get burned off leaving a virgin fiber? Cause like Ryan said he touched the material with his hand, I’ve always thought of that as a golden no no rule.
Hojo - You seem to have been around the block (prolly the world) a few times in the world of composites. Have you ever toured a carbon production line and would any oils that get transfered to the material before it goes into the hightemp ovens get burned off leaving a virgin fiber? Cause like Ryan said he touched the material with his hand, I’ve always thought of that as a golden no no rule.[/QUOTE]
No, only been to a prepregging facility in China once. Not too sure about the oils and exact protocols. I would think they would be strict about contamination, but then aagain those high temps carbonnize the precursor so perhaps it would have no effect?
I wasn’t so worried about grease on his hands, when he picks up the preform and lifts it vertically you can see creases in the fabric, that can’t be good, after those machines have taken so much care to place everything perfectly!! Also the guy spraying on release is can’t be giving a very even layer just standing on one side… thought the buffing guy was doing a good job though!